Terminology

This content applies to England

This page looks at changes to the terminology used to describe providers of social housing.

On 1 April 2012, a statutory committee of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) became the regulator for all social housing providers in England (including local authorities, housing associations, housing
co-operatives, profit-making organisations and any other form of
housing provider) instead of the previous regulator, the Tenant Services Authority (TSA), which was abolished on the same date. As a result, the current terminology used to describe
providers of social housing is as follows:

local authorities, housing associations or other registered providers are collectively known as ‘registered providers’

those
housing associations and other providers who were formerly known as
registered social landlords (RSLs) are known as ‘private registered
providers of social housing (PRPSHs)'. In Wales, these are still known
as ‘registered social landlords (RSLs)’ but they are referred to as
PRPSHs throughout the site for a reason of practicality.